Prerequisite for maximizing thermal conductivity of epoxy laminate using filler

Boron nitride-filled epoxy laminate with excellent thermal conductivity was prepared. Its thermal conductivity was enhanced through sliane surface treatment prior to mixing the epoxy. The lamination enhanced thermal conductivity of the boron nitride filled epoxy by 20 % by reducing the voids in the structure. The heat conduction mechanism in laminated board, i.e. BN, glass fabric and epoxy, is not the same as a simpler BN-epoxy system, even though thermal conductivity of epoxy laminate is mainly affected by filler size and contents, as in the case of BN-epoxy composite. This study provides evidence of the importance of temperature and pressure after surface engineering of boron nitride for fabricating high thermal conductivity laminates, establishing the prerequisites for maximizing thermal conductivity of BN-epoxy laminate. The infrared thermogram showed that the BN-laminate can effectively lower the temperature of a surface mounted LED by 12.5 °C compared to the traditional FR4. According to the IESNA LM 80 lifetime testing method, this reduction in LED temperature is equivalent to increasing the LED’s lifetime by 21,000 h.